REVIEWS:
Eternal Drakness of Light: That'd be a nightmare for him, won't it?
ProjectIceman: And when he comes back, he'd be miles ahead!
temp paleoboy: Actually pass on. He deserves it, seeing how he sacrificed himself to defeat Acnologia.
Moheart7: Close.
As always, remember that this here is a Commission by RedWolf. Enjoy!
Officially, Izuku hated lying, especially to his mother. As necessary as Natsu and Capri said this would be, it didn't make the ordeal any easier. His mother, however, trusted him a lot and never suspected him of lying. It hurt him to lie to her, but he did what he had to do. He told his mother that there was a Quirk training center overseas that was willing to accept him and offer him intensive training and that they were kind enough to pay for his ticket.
He packed his bags and soon departed from home, heading to Dagobah Beach to summon Crapicorn again. Then, he was on his way to a random island in the Pacific for training. Luckily, he was up to date with his shots, packed several things to help him survive, and even got some food for the road ahead. He was ready.
He arrived at the beach around noon, and once there, he got the key out. "Ok…Here goes nothing. Open, Gate of the Goat!" Izuku said loudly, and the key glowed brightly as the sound of chimes echoed, and Capricorn appeared before him, facing him.
"Good day to you, Master Izuku," Capricorn said to him, offering a polite bow. "And likewise to you, Master Natsu. I must say, you have chosen a most fortunate time to summon me!"
"Eh? Something the matter back home?" Natsu asked.
"Natsu is asking if there are issues back in his world." Izuku transmitted the message to the spirit, who sighed.
"Only the chaos of the news that Master Natsu is relatively alive, Master Izuku," Capricorn revealed. "When I told Mistress Lucy about it, she nearly went to wake the entire guild in the death of night to tell them, and I barely talked her out of it! But this morning, she didn't hold back. I was summoned and bombarded with questions about Master Natsu, you, Master Izuku, this word, and so on…You summoning me saved me from a most intense interrogation."
"Ha! Yeah, that sounds like everyone." Natsu said. "Everyone…Cared that much about me, huh?"
"Natsu?" Izuku called out to him, which caught Capricorn's attention. The spirit realized the issue and began to speak to alleviate things.
"Master Natsu, if you can hear me, which I think you do, know that it is alright," Capricorn stated. "I know you might feel guilty for causing everyone such pain. But remember why you died. You died so Acnologia could be stopped and to save everyone! Your demise was a tragedy, but also the cost you had to pay. The grief everyone suffers is the price we all pay when we care for others. Don't be sad, Master Natsu. It's alright."
"Ok…I will try to keep my chin up, then." Natsu said, and Izuku gave him Capricorn a nod to let him know everyone was fine. With that out of the way, the spirit began reaching into his coat, pulling something out of it.
"Is that another key?" Izuku asked, curious.
"Indeed, it is. This is the key of the Craftsman. A silver key that summons the spirit, Ambrosius. He is…Quite the character." Capricorn said, then threw Izuku the key, the boy catching it. "Summon him. He will construct us a vessel out of this thrash to reach our destination."
"O-ok!" Izuku cleared his throat. "Open! The Gate of the Craftmans!" Once again, a light appeared along with the sound of chimes…Only less powerful. It was merely a flash of light before a tall, lanky man appeared. They had dark-blue skin, and their entire body was covered in bandages, with a cloth covering their lower section. They seemed to have bright red eyes, and there were multiple tools stuck in their bandages.
"I have been summoned!" Ambrosius said, his voice husky and dry. "Are you my summoner?" He then saw Capricorn. "Capricorn…Of course, this is why you asked for my key."
"Good to see you, Ambrosius. I trust you are in good health?" The goat asked.
"Perfect. Now, onto business." He turned to Izuku. "Let us discuss the terms of our contract; then, I will obey your orders, Celestial Mage."
"Right!" Izuku replied, and then the two got to talking. It took a bit since Ambrosius had some interesting conditions. Namely, Izuku couldn't just summon him for anything related to craftsmanship. Ambrosius claimed to be able to create a lot of things but disliked doing weapons, so he explicitly told Izuku never to ask him for one. Additionally, he preferred working on more challenging, larger designs. Small things, unless he has a good reason, won't be much to his liking.
"The terms…Are acceptable. I am in your service, Izuku Midoriya." Ambrosius stated that Izuku was glad to have finished the contract. "Now, what task do you have for me."
"See all this waste around us?" Izuku gestured to the surrounding area. "Can you create us a boat that can sail the sea out of what you have here?"
"Ohhh. A challenge right off the bat." Ambrosius stated, looking around. "So much metal…Wood floats better, usually, but I can work with this. Give me two hours, maximum, and you will have your vessel."
"That soon?!" Izuku was stunned by the speed the spirit claimed, and then he saw its bandages unwrap and release the tools. Capricorn went to Izuku.
"Let us leave Ambrosius to his work, Master. Isn't there a cafe we can wait at until then?" Capricorn asked.
"I think? Let's look around."
"We will be back in at least an hour and a half, Ambrosius. Good luck." Capricorn said as he and Izuku went to a nearby cafe to have a drink, waiting for Ambrosius to finish the boat.
In hindsight, Izuku expected something way smaller. "WHAT THE HELL?!" The boy shouted as he saw the absolute beauty before him. A yacht. It's not a small model either, but it's a boat with at least three visible floors, a small pool, and so on. Luxury at its finest! "How did you create this out of scrap?!"
"I have been a craftsman for more than you have been alive," Ambrosius said. 'I also found a magazine and saw an image of the yacht. I got inspired. Also, you never stated what kind of vessel I had to build; it only needed to function as intended."
"He has a point, Master Izuku."
'Makes sense."
Even Natsu agreed that the fault lay with him for not being specific, but then again, Izuku was more or less worried about the misunderstanding this could cause. "W-wait! If it were just a small boat, we wouldn't have this issue, but a ship of this size surely required several documents to be made! We can't just sail; if the Coast Guard catches us without the right documents, we'd get in trouble!"
"That is no issue of mine. Until next time, Izuku." Ambrosius thus left.
"Wait! No…" Izuku turned to Capricorn. "Any suggestions?"
"Well, while I get why you are worried, Master Izuku, I don't think you need actually to worry. Come." Capricorn jumped onto the vessel. "Let us depart on this fine boat's maiden voyage!"
"There is so much wrong here…" Izuku muttered, worried they might get into legal trouble.
"Chill, man! You got a boat now! I never got one…Wait, that spirit was a silver key! Does that mean Lucy could have always summoned this guy and-...Oh, what bad luck…" Natsu rambled on as he realized the situation. Or rather, as hindsight finally caught up to him.
Still, without room to argue further, Izuku got on the boat as well, finding Capricorn at the helm with the captain's hat on his head. "I didn't know you can navigate."
"I am a spirit of many talents, Master Izuku. This should be a comfortable journey." The spirit said, then switched some buttons on the ship to start up the engine. Surprisingly, he found that it worked.
"Ambrosius can even make fuel? Wait, how did he get fuel from the junk on the beach?" Izuku questioned.
"He didn't. He installed a magic-based engine from the looks of it." Capricorn replied. "It is consuming the magic in the atmosphere to work. And I have to say, Master Izuku, your world, due to not having any wizards on it, has a lot of it left unused."
"So we can set sail without the need to refuel?" Izuku asked, receiving a nod from the spirit. "I still have a hard time understanding everything, and it seems I have a lot to learn still."
"No worries, that is why we are sailing right now! Now, please find yourself a comfortable place to relax, Master Izuku. Our journey will- Oh, oh my…"
"Is there a problem?" Izuku asked, worried due to the spirit's reaction.
"It seems we have no navigation systems. I should have figured Ambrosius might know how to create a system, but he certainly doesn't have any knowledge of coding one…Even us spirits have such blind spots in our talents." Capricorn replied, then pulled out a map. "No worries, this just means we will need to do this the old-fashioned way."
"How long do you think our voyage will take?" Izuku asked.
"A few hours, give or take," Capricorn replied, and with that, Izuku took his leave, finding the living quarters and setting his baggage down, sitting on the bed.
"Even the mattress is soft…"
"Celestial Spirits are something else, right?" Natsu commented. "There are many of them, although I only ever met a few of them myself. Man, I am wondering what Lucy and the others are up to right now…"
"We did say we'd write them a letter or two. How about we make one right now?" Izuku proposed.
"Sure! I want to…I want to let them know everything will be fine." Once again, Natsu's spirit seemed to dim. "It's hard, you know. Knowing I won't ever see them again. My time here is limited. It's like knowing you will die soon, but this is different."
"What do you mean by that, Natsu? You sound like you always expected to die at some point, but like, you sound like you didn't want it to be like this." Izuku stated.
"Because I always believed I'd croak fighting some really powerful wizard. It turns out that is exactly how I went out, defeating Acnologia. I just never imagined I'd come back like this, you know. And now, knowing WHEN I might go for good…It scares me. It saddens me. And it even makes me angry when I think about it." Nasu said, taking the stones he had on his heart off. "But above it all? I think I am mostly feeling scared, sad, and angry for my friends and family back home. I know I didn't let them down, and I took down Acnologia, but I never planned to die in that battle. I am scared because I do not know what will happen to them now, sad that I won't see them walk their paths, and angry that I cannot do anything about it. I miss them, Izuku."
"Natsu…"
"I wish there was a way for me just to come back to life. To spring from my grave with a big old smile on my face, and even if I scared them, I'd gladly take the consequences. What is being frozen by Gray, punched by Erza, and even slapped by Lucy to never being able to laugh, fight, and be there for them ever again?"
"I didn't know that is how much you missed them all. But this is why we are sending them letters. Natus, I know your time is limited. But at the very least, like this, you can give them closure. And even find it yourself." Izuku told the wizard, and Natsu thought about his words closely.
"I guess you have a point, Izuku. They deserve it. It is not worth being stuck in the past because of me. Heck, now that I think about it, I think I'd be even more pissed off if they did something like that." Natsu's smile returned to his lips slowly. "Get that pen and paper ready! I have some fiery words to tell them!"
"Alright! Do you want to do one letter meant for everyone or multiple ones for each member?" Izuku asked.
"One letter should be enough," Natsu replied, and so, Izuku began to write…Until he felt something was off. Then, he suddenly started to go green.
"Ughhhhhh. Natsu? I-is this-?"
"Oh…Motion Sickness. Looks like we started moving."
This was going to be a long voyage, wasn't it?
"HE IS STILL ALIVE?!" The woman who shouted was a young woman with long, scarlet hair and brown eyes and a slender, voluptuous figure dressed in custom-made armor by Heart Kreuz smiths, a blue skirt, black boots, and diamond-shaped silver earrings. Her Fairy Tail stamp is blue and is located in the middle of her left upper arm. Name? Erza Scarlet. Fairy Tail's S-Class.
"Hold on, Erza! Lucy, tell us again from the start. What did Capricorn tell you?" The one who asked was a young man with spiky black-colored hair, dark blue eyes, and a toned and muscular body. He had a scar above his left eye, which was mostly covered by his hair, and a cross-shaped scar on his lower abdomen, with his guild mark below his collarbone on his right pectoral muscle, which is dark blue.
He was currently wearing some kind of white coat., but without anything else under it, exposing his body. Still, he also wore a necklace, which resembles a sword with a stone in it, a metal bracelet, and a chain which is attached to the belt loops on the right side of his pants.
Lastly, he had a tattoo on his right arm, a mark of the magic he had gained.
Currently, they were talking with Lucy out in the fields, away from the Guild, so as not to cause too much chaos. However, what Lucy has failed to recall is that the two people before her were two of the most chaotic people in Fairy Tail.
"Capricorn came to me yesterday evening and told me Natsu is…Well, not alive, but that his soul is inhabiting the body of another person in another world. I think he said their name is Izuku or something along those lines." Lucy recounted what Capricorn told her.
"So, he is still around…" Gray said slowly. "Damn it, Natsu…Too stubborn to pass on."
What is the name of this world? How can we get to it, and most importantly, how many wizard guilds exist there?" Erza asked in quick succession.
"Hold on! Capricorn just told me! I understand your desire, Erza…I want to speak with Natsu as well, but Capricorn told me that opening a gate to another world is not exactly easy." Lucy recounted. "It is essentially creating a new magic altogether."
"If he can travel between worlds, can't the Celestial Spirits summon us to their world and then open a gate to his?" Gray asked, but Lucy had her concerns about such a plan.
"It is an option, but we must remember that time might flow differently between the worlds." She stated that both of her guildmates had to admit that she made a strong point. They learned the hard way how time can differ between worlds, and now, it was a problem once again. "It is not just a question about traversing space, but also time."
"What a pain…" Gray muttered. "Then let's get to work. I am sure we can fish out some old texts about spatial element magic and time element magic. We might even get Levy to help."
"Idiot, don't you remember that she has her own thing going on?" Erza reminded Gray, who grew stiff once he recalled.
"Right…Her and Gajeel." He stated, and Lucy recalled as well. It was quite a shock to learn that Levy and Gajeel were getting married and that Levy was pregnant! She was already entering her second trimester, if she recalls correctly. The wedding was soon as well. "Well, that is off the table…Who do we ask, then?"
"How about first reading a letter from Master Natsu?" Everyone jumped as they found Capricorn standing behind them, holding a letter. "Good day, everyone."
"Capricorn! You're back!" Lucy stated.
"Indeed, and I bear a letter. Although, I fear it is meant to be addressed to the entire guild, not just you three." The spirit stated. "It was Master Natsu's wish that this letter be read in the presence of the entire guild."
"We were his closest friends, so we have a right to read it," Erza stated, but that was when a shout was heard from the distance.
"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" Looking back, everyone was stunned to find the entire guild rushing to them, including their master, who looked more alive than he had been in many years. Why, you'd think he'd become young again! He was the first to reach them, his expression stern and serious. It was impressive how he reached them so quickly, given that he was bound to a wheelchair.
Their guild master was named Makarov Dreyar, an extremely short, elderly man with black eyes who was growing bald, with only the outer rims of his head containing white hair and a thick white mustache. The guild mark was black, covering his entire chest. He also sported a white beard that covered his chin, and he was currently wearing his coat.
Behind him, many of their friends and fellow guild members joined them, including the previously mentioned Levy and Gajeel.
"Everyone? How did you hear about this?" Lucy asked.
"I told them!" Looking above and then down as he landed, Lucy was met with the sight of Natus's oldest friend. A small blue Exceed - cat-like being that can sprout wings to fly - with a white stomach. He has a rectangular head, with pink ears, big black eyes with small, thin eyebrows, and light blue cheek marks near his tiny whiskers.
He has a long, white-tipped tail, and the other parts of his tail are blue. He was carrying around a green backpack, where he kept food and items that could be used in battle. This backpack also covers his green Guild Mark, which is on his back.
"Happy?!" Lucy gasped, seeing the small cat.
"I heard you talking! I was above you!" The cat said, tears forming in his eyes. "It is true? Natsu is alive?"
"Not exactly…" Gray was the one to reply.
"Then explain to us what the cat meant!" The one who shouted was no other than Gajee Redfoxl, the Guild's Iron Dragon Slayer, a tall and muscular young man with long, spiky black hair, which is usually kept slicked back, revealing his forehead. He has red eyes with slitted dark pupils and has no visible eyebrows. Most of his exposed body is covered in sets of simple, round studs, the most visible on his face, with three of them above each of his eyes, replacing his eyebrows, two on each side of his nose, and two on his chin, just below his mouth. His ears are adorned by two sets of five earrings each as well.
He also sports four studs on each of his forearms, with his right one being covered in scars. The black Fairy Tail mark is located on his left arm, just below his shoulder.
He wore his usual outfit consisting of a shabby, black tunic that has a closed, light-grey opening running center of his torso, and wears a new grey belt, both without any studs, loose, beige pants tucked inside studded black boots, and a pair of studded brown gloves paired with similarly studded wristbands. He also wore a black, tattered scart, and a large, distinctive wing-like ornament, seemingly made of feathers, jutting upwards over his right shoulder, attached to his tunic by a large stud.
"Gajeel, hold on! I am sure they will explain everything soon." The one who stopped him was Levy, a rather young, petite woman with a slender build who stands at a rather below-average height for her age. Her shoulder-length blue hair, which has eyebrow-length bangs, was tied with her usual bandana around her head. Her hair had wave, wild locks that framed her face, and she was currently dressed in a loose dress, both to keep her guild mark exposed and to accommodate her growing bump. "You can explain things, right?"
"Somehow…" Lucy said slowly, then turned to Capricorn. "Capri? Care to help?"
"Since the Guild is all here, I got a letter from Master Natsu addressed to you all. It is not very long, but then again, Master Natsu was never a man of useless words. Here it goes." The spirit cleared his throat.
"Hello, everyone. I hope this letter reaches you well and that Capri can deliver it to all of you at once to save himself some hassle." The spirit said, and already, many could tell it was Natsu who wrote it. "I want first to say that I am sorry for going. I never planned to die that day, but I guess it couldn't be helped. At the very least, I went, knowing I had taken down Acnologia once and for all, avenging Igneel and everyone that monster had ever harmed. At the very least, the thought of not dying for nothing helps. I hope you are all in good health. I hope the destruction from the war was cleaned and that the Guild is back in business as well! There is a lot I wish to tell you all, but I fear that I cannot write each of you a letter since my time is limited, and I must focus on my task - my final quest, one might say! I need to train this boy, Izuku Midoriya so that he can make it into his world. This place is strange. They do not have magic, yet there is magic in the air, just like in our world, and people all over have strange powers called Quirks."
"Izuku suffered quite a bit, being born without one. Like a mage with no magic in them! But worst. I cannot let him figure things out alone, but I admit to being nervous. I had never taken on the role of a teacher before, and I did not even know where to begin training him precisely. But I know what to teach him. Everything I know. Again, I hope everything is well with you all, and I hope you can move on without me in the years to come."
"Natsu…" Makarov said softly, clutching the armrest of his chair.
"PS: To Gray: SUCK IT, I DEFEATED ACNOLOGIA FIRST!"
"You son of a-" Gray raged at the clear sting to him, but he quickly calmed down, letting out a laugh. "He didn't change one bit…"
"That is everything the letter says," Capricorn said.
"What? Nothing else, such as a way to get to that world?" Gajeel asked.
"It is not easy, passing through the borders of worlds," Makarov stated with a solemn expression on his face. "Capricorn here might be able to do it, but…Wait…HOW CAN YOU DO IT?!"
"It's simple. Master Izuku has a Celestial Spirit Zodiac Key." Capricorn revealed, shocking the guild.
'Impossible! Wasn't there only one set of those? How come he has your key? Lucy!"
"I didn't give him mine!" Lucy replied quickly to Levy. "It seems that, somehow, there is another set in that world!"
"And more. Master Izuku has gained the capability to use Celestial Magic thanks to a strange crystal that formed in his world from the magic Acnologia ingested over the years. There are several such shards all over the world, and I can sense their magic. However, there are so many it is impossible to pinpoint a location for any of them!"
"Wait, you mean there is the chance this kid could gain knowledge and the ability to use any of our magics if he wanted to?" Gray asked, receiving a nod from Capricorn.
"That is indeed the truth. However, I fear that he will still need to train to master those magics over many years." Capricorn's words seemed to have struck Makarov especially hard.
"Natsu is not the best of teachers. He might be able to teach this Izuku a thing or two about Fire Dragon Slayer magic, but…That's it! I have made my decision! Suspend all current quests and accept no more!" The master's words seemed to alarm the entire guild.
"Master, but why?" The girl who asked was a slim young woman of below-average height. She has long, white hair that curls slightly at the ends, with two bangs framing her face and reaching down to her chest; the most distinctive trait of her hairstyle is a short, upward ponytail obtained by gathering and tying the hair covering her forehead. She has large blue eyes and a curvy, voluptuous body with large breasts. Her white Fairy Tail Stamp is located on her left thigh. Her name was Mirajane Strauss. One of Fairy Tail's S-ranks.
"Isn't it obvious? We must redirect our efforts! Natsu…My son is in another world, undertaking the task of teaching this Izuku by himself! We need to aid him." Makarov's statement seemed to prompt Capricorn to say something as well.
"Master Makarov, forgive me for adding to your issues, but what is not stated in this letter is the fact that Master Natsu's condition is temporary." His words seemed to confuse everyone. "He won't remain linked with Master Izuku forever. Eventually, when his task is complete, he will be allowed to pass on."
"Are you kidding me?!" Gray shouted.
"But that means- If we go and aid Izuku, Natsu will truly vanish forever?" Erza asked as well.
"No!" Happy shouted. "He can't! Please tell us there is a way to keep Natsu around! Please!"
"I'm sorry…There isn't. This is an unavoidable fate."
"Fuck fate!" Gray shouted. "I say we try anyway! How hard could it be to pull his soul into another body?"
"Do not get ahead of yourself, Gray!" Makarov raised his voice, trying to keep the order. "That would fall under the classification of Forbidden Magic. Natsu wouldn't want us to get in trouble just to get to him. No, we must accept this."
"Accept this?!" Gajeel and Gray shouted at once.
"Master, surely you are jesting!" Erza said. "How can you accept this? You, of all of us, should understand the most! We cannot abandon a fellow guild member like that!"
"I am not abandoning anyone!" Makarov shouted. "But this…This situation is alien in all kinds of ways. Not only are we dealing with a different realm, but the knowledge of Natsu's soul inhabiting another body is ludicrous! And to know it is temporary. Everyone, please do not confuse my words with something they are not. I am not abandoning Natsu, and neither is he abandoning us. But you must understand that the forces at play here are truly beyond our power to resist. It is the natural order, and already, said order seems to have been disrupted to bring upon such a situation."
"Then…Do we just wait until he fades for good?" Gray asked, his fist shaking.
"No, we will not wait. Those letters…We will all write our letters to him. Forgive me, Capricorn, for burdening you and making you into our mailman between worlds." Makarov apologized.
"There is no issue, Master Makarov. I accept this role already."
"Thank you. However, I say this: We will not wait for Natsu to fade! We will not wait for him to vanish without saying a proper Fairy Tail goodbye! And we cannot do this while the wall of worlds separates us! Everyone! We will be creating a way to travel to that world! My decision is final!"
The crowd went wild.
"YEAH!"
"We cannot allow Salamander to just go without giving him a proper send-off!"
"Let's get to work!"
"There is going to be a lot of work involved," Lucy said softly but then felt something at her leg.
"Lucy…" Happy called out to her, and the girl picked him up.
"It's alright, Happy. We will meet with Natsu again soon."
"But how are we even going to do this?" The one who asked was a petite girl with fair skin and long, dark blue hair that reached down to her waist, with two bangs framing her face, which reached down to her chest alongside her brown eyes. She was Wendy Marvell, Fairy Tail's Sky Dragon Slayer. Like all Dragon Slayers, she has elongated canine teeth.
She wore a simple dress with two wavy stripes running across the dress and ending in small pointed edges at the bottom. Around her arms and legs, she wears wing-like attachments. Her guild mark was on her right shoulder.
"That is a fair question. This is no easy task." Her partner, another Exceed, Carla, said. She was a white cat with pink ears and brown eyes, which were smaller than Happy's eyes. She also has two whiskers on each side of her face and a pink bow near the end of her tail. Unlike Happy, she wore a mustard yellow and red top with a pink bow tie with a pink skirt. Carla, like other characters, seems to switch outfits on a regular basis. Her guild mark was on her back, just like Happy's. "Traveling to another world is bound to be a most arduous task to undertake."
"I also do not think halting all quests is a good idea," Mirajane said. "We will need the funds to keep the guild running!"
"Still, if we are to make it before Natsu really goes away, we need to pool as many resources and manpower into this as possible!" Gajeel stated.
"But what about our wedding, Gajeel? If we really dedicate all of our time to helping them, then wouldn't that throw a wrench into our plans?" Levy asked her husband-to-be, and Gajeel seemed to realize the issue they were having.
"Right, that is right. We can't forget that."
"What if we divided our resources? Keep part of the guild doing quests, you two planning your wedding, and part of us trying to find a way to cross to the other world?" Gray suggested.
"That could work." Makarov agreed. "However, to ensure maximum efficiency, we will need to divide everyone based on specialty. This means more combat-oriented members must focus on doing quests, while our smartest members need to work on finding a way to travel to this other world."
"What if we asked for help from other guilds?" Lucy suggested. "Like Saber Tooth, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, or even Mermaid Heel?"
"Possible, but we must keep this information limited," Makarov added. "If knowledge of what we are attempting to do and why gets out, it could get the attention of the Magic Council."
"Those guys again? Didn't they learn their lesson not to mess with us?" Gray asked.
"The current council is a far cry from the old ones! If I am to talk with them, I might be able to convince them not to disturb us, but that is assuming they agree with us opening a gate to another world, potentially bringing foreign dangers into our own. The Edolas Incident is something they are trying to understand fully, even after all this time! As such, I highly doubt they would agree just to let us be." Makarov said.
"Then we will act in secret, without the Council knowing," Erza stated. "Surely, that is an option, is it not, Master?"
"A risky one, but yes, that is indeed an option. However, I remind you all that we are doing something with no precedent. Never in the history of our realm was a gate to another realm opened like this, with the exceptions being Celestial magic and the Edolas incident, but even then, one is an existing magic with limited ways to travel between the two worlds, and the other was done from the other side. Opening such a gate will be a challenge."
Makarov's words seemed to resonate with Capricorn to some degree, as he seemed to get an idea. "Master Makarov, if I may."
"Got something to say, Capricorn?" He asked.
"Your earlier statement regarding the possibility of using the Celestial Spirit world to travel might not be wrong after all," Capricorn stated. "Since our keys exist in that world, there is a link between the two. However, as you know, time flows differently, and trying to alter it to ensure this proceeds smoothly might be your greatest challenge yet. I will also bring the issue to the Celestial Spirit King to see if we can get his blessing and aid for this as well."
"That is good to know, Capricorn. It gives us an angle from which to approach this issue." Makarov said.
"Then I guess we better get to work!" Gray said aloud. "Lucy! Since it seems your Celestial Magic will be key here, I think staying with the development team is best for now! Leave getting cash to Erza and me. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"I will help!" Happy said loudly. "I want to help as I can!"
"You can take on some easy jobs, Happy," Makarov told the cat. "Now, my children…Let's get to work!"
"YEAH!"
Back in Izuku's world, the boy was asleep on the ship, sailing in the middle of the ocean. Capricorn had returned to his world and, later, to the Celestial Spirit world to recharge. They anchored themselves in the middle of the sea, and Izuku was more or less sleeping his nausea away. However, as he was asleep, down below the waves, he was unaware that something was caught in the anchor.
"Rise and shine, Master Izuku!" Capricorn said loudly, close to Izuku, making the boy wake up.
"I'm awake! I'm- Wait…" Looking around, he recalled the events of yesterday came flooding back to Izuku. "That's right! We are in the middle of the ocean!"
"Precisely! However, if we set sail, we should arrive at the island in two hours or so." Capricorn said, then placed several plates down. "Here, Master Izuku. Breakfast. I studied your country's culinary taste to prepare it."
"Thank you, Capricorn, you shouldn't have," Izuku replied slowly as he took the food that was prepared for him.
"Don't mention it, Master Izuku. Now, if you'd excuse me, I will go lift the anchor, and we will be on our merry way." The spirit left to do his job, leaving Izuku to eat. However, the boy noticed something strange as he took a bite out of a piece of pork. The meat came apart easier than normal.
"Huh?" Izuku was confused about this.
"Yeah, looks like your body is changing, alright. Check your teeth."
"My teeth?" Izuku checked them and found them sharper than usual. "My teeth!"
"Yeah, another normal thing with us Dragon Slayers. Sharper teeth!"
"My body changed a bit already…" Izuku noted.
"Well, yeah, but not in any major way! Trust me, if you suddenly became as fit as I was, that'd save us a lot of work." Natsu stated, making Izuku feel self-conscious about his physical state.
"Let's see what Capricorn is-"
"Oh my!" The shout of the spirit made Izuku rush out of bed. He put the food away, and he went to the deck to see the spirit holding something.
"Capricorn, is everything alright? I heard you shouting."
"It is more than alright, Master Izuku! I found something when I lifted the anchor. This is quite lucky as well! Here." The spirit handed Izuku something, and the boy's eyes widened.
"You have to be shitting me!" Natsu couldn't believe his eyes either. "Another Golden Zodiac Key!"
"This one has the mark of Aquarius!" Izuku stated, cleaning the key a bit more. "Where did you find it, Capricorn?"
"As I said, it was stuck to the anchor! I noticed it when I pulled it up, sensing its magic. I then leaped over, holding the railing, and took it. You showed up as I got back on deck!" Capricorn recounted the events. "It must have manifested on the bottom of the ocean! This is truly lucky on our end, as we'd have never found it in the deep blue!"
"I see. Alright, let me just-"
"DON'T!" Natsu shouted in his head.
"Master Izuku, you are not ready!"
"What is the matter, you guys?" Izuku asked, spooked by their reactions.
"My apologies, Master Izuku, but Celestial Spirit magic is not that easy! A summoner can rarely handle summoning multiple spirits at once!" Capricorn stated.
"He's right! I remember Lucy telling me that summoning more spirits than you can handle is dangerous! You are just starting!"
"Really?! I didn't know!" Izuku said loudly.
"It's alright, Master Izuku, you are still learning, after all. Look, how about this? I will close my gate and return to the spirit world so you can summon Aquarius and meet her. I will inform her about you as well. But, take my word about her, she might prove to be…A handful."
"What?" Before Izuku could ask more, Capricorn vanished in a flash of light, leaving Izuku alone on the boat. "Ummm. Natsu? Anything you can tell me about this spirit?"
"Plenty, she was Lucy's favorite! But, best you learn yourself. All I can tell you is that she has quite the personality."
"Ok? Well, I guess here goes nothing! Open! Gate of the Water Bearer!" However, nothing happened. "Umm. Is there something wrong with the key?"
"Oh! Right, unlike other spirits, she has a summoning condition! You need to stick the key in the water!"
"You could have told me!" Izuku replied, then looked around. They were in the middle of the ocean, but the yacht didn't have something like a platform for diving, so he went to the jacuzzi instead. It was already full of water, so Izuku did as instructed. "Open! Gate of the Water Bearer!"
This time, the key glowed, and the magic worked, and Izuku heard the same chime and saw the same light shine brightly as the spirit manifested before him, and truth be told…He was shocked to see her. The spirit resembled a royal blue mermaid with a long, blue fishtail, light blue hair that reached up to her waist, and blue eyes that seemed to have no pupils. She wore a revealing dark blue bikini top, and on each arm, she had a golden armlet and bracelet.
She also had a circlet, three piercings on her tail, a golden belt at her waist, and light blue crystal earrings. A dark blue tattoo resembling the Aquarius zodiac symbol rests right under her collarbone.
However, the main detail that took Izuku's eye was her…assets. "She is huge…"
"Actually, compared to other women back home? I'd say she is almost average."
"THIS IS AVERAGE?!"
She also carried a vase-like container that featured curled handles that were symmetrically attached to opposite sides of the vase, embellished by dark blue rings studded with blue dots occupying the narrowed neck and the bottom rim of the container, with the widened center of the urn encompassed by a decorative helix-like pattern of blue stripes that are alternatively shaded.
The spirit rested in the jacuzzi, looking around before her eyes set on Izuku, and she narrowed them at him. "So, you are the brat that summoned me?" The tone she had was the same an annoyed mother might take with her child.
"Y-yes, Ma'am! My name is Izuku Midoriya!" Izuku introduced himself, shaken by her attitude.
"Hmpf." She scoffed. "Where am I? What did you summon me out of?"
"This is a jacuzzi; it was the only body of water I could use to summon you without going into the ocean," Izuku replied, but Aquarius didn't seem to take it well.
"It's too small!" She complained, flipping her tail and throwing water at Izuku. "And to think you call yourself a Celestial Mage…"
"Ummm, I don't think I-"
"Be quiet!"
"Yes!"
"She hasn't changed…" Natsu said awkwardly.
"And you! Natsu Dragneel! Don't you think I do not know about you being here? We all heard everything from Capricorn!" Aquarius shouted, pointing her finger at Izuku. "You have some gal hiding behind this boy and leaving Lucy heartbroken back home!"
"Woah there, I didn't do anything! I had to defeat Acnologia!" Natsu shouted but then recalled something. "Right, she cannot hear me."
Izuku gulped. "What is he saying?" She asked.
"He said he didn't do anything since he had to defeat Acnologia…" Izuku replied slowly.
"Like hell, he didn't!" Aquarius shouted, spooking Izuku further. "Does he even realize how-" She inhaled sharply. "Calm down, Aqua; it is not your place to tell him about that. Calm down. Now! Why did you summon me?"
"Oh! Well, I guess I summoned you to meet you and discuss the terms of our contract?" Izuku replied.
"So, a routine meeting with a new master. Alright. The terms are similar to Capricorn's, but know this: I WILL request time off to spend with my boyfriend, and when I do, I expect to be given that time off." She stated strongly.
"W-well, I guess that is acceptable, but would it be alright to summon you during said time off - Only if necessary! I promise not to summon you during this time off without a very, very good reason to do so!" Aquarius seemed irritated by that condition, but she found it fair enough to let it pass.
"Fine. Now, is there any task you want me to fulfill while I am here?" She asked.
"Well, I am thinking of summoning Capricorn back so we can sail to our destination. We were heading to an island to begin my training." Izuku explained, but that seemed to give Aquarius an idea.
"Well, how about this? Take this as your punishment for summoning me out of such a small tub!" She raised her voice, and then she swung her urn around, holding it above her head and summoning a great torrent of water. Izuku watched in amazement as the water struck behind the ship and created a wave that took them away.
"AHHHH!" Of course, he didn't like this, as they were moving TOO FAST. "STOP THIS!"
"You'll be fine. I have to go. My boyfriend is waiting for me!" And so, she vanished, leaving Izuku to deal with being taken by the wave. Literally.
"I am not feeling too-" And then, he began vomiting.
"This is going to be a bumpy ride…"
Luckily, at the very least, Aquarius did get them to the island in record time. The ship made a landing on the shores of the island, albeit roughly, with izuku ending up falling off the boat onto the sand. However, he wasn't upset but very happy. "Land! Thank God I am alive."
"Yeah…"
"Wait…What the heck, did she try to kill me?!" Izuku shouted, asking himself what happened.
"No, trust me, Celestial Spirits cannot kill their summoner. It is an iron rule of theirs. Granted, Aquarius doesn't seem to care about it as much, considering how many times she washed Lucy away with her water as well. " Natsu explained. "So, I guess you better be careful with her! She has quite the attitude."
"No kidding…" Izuku said slowly, then grabbed Capricorn's key from his pocket. Using it, the spirit revealed himself before him.
"Ah, Master Izuku, good to-" Capricorn cut himself short when he noticed they arrived. "Aquarius?"
"Yes."
"Oh, I see. My apologies, Master Izuku; I tried to explain to her that I should not be too harsh on you. I guess I should have told you to use the ocean's waters to summon her as well; she came back complaining that you summoned her out of the jacuzzi." Capricorn stated. "Regardless, how are you feeling?"
"Glad to be alive after that."
"Right. Well, it is pretty early, so why not explore the island for a while? I will unload some of the provisions from the ship, the little that we have. The ship won't be going anywhere for a year, so." Capricorn said, reminding Izuku of his situation.
They were now going to spend one year on this island. That was a thought he had to get used to. With a nod, Izuku began exploring the island, just as Capricorn told him to. Upon walking up the beach, Izuku took notice of that first. The beach was large, with smooth sand and stretching quite far up the shore. For a second, he believed this must be a small island without much land to train on.
But that belief was quickly blown out the window as he reached the forest, seeing the tropical trees growing to form a lush forest. He looked up, seeing coconuts growing up high. A source of food and even hydration. Good. Looking around the canopy, he noticed some banana trees as well.
Food was not going to be much of an issue, it seemed.
Advancing further inland, Izuku looked for anything else of use, but all he stumbled upon was forest, forest, and more forest. The terrain was pretty even, safe for the roots, but then he noticed it. The land was starting to rise, indicating a more elevated position. Izuku followed this elevation until he found a less dense area of the forest, where he noticed that he was ascending a hill.
And more so, a hill that was connected to a larger mountain of some kind. Izuku saw several rock formations all over the island, with hills and even a waterfall in the distance. But the waterfall was the main prize here. Upon seeing it, noticing it couldn't be that far away, he went towards it, and he was right to do so.
He found a natural river. And not just any kind of river.
Freshwater.
However, he couldn't drink it right away. He had to purify the water, and Capricorn was likely the one to ask about that. Still, this was a great find. They could settle near this river, which would provide them with water to drink, and there were trees around them as well, most of them with coconuts and bananas!
There were also bushes around, with various berries. Izuku didn't know anything about wild berries, so he didn't know which were safe to eat, but he found something he knew was. Mushrooms. He remembered back when he had an interest in them for a recipe he wanted to try.
Those kinds of mushrooms were safe to eat, so long as they were cooked. He'd need a fire, which was, again, not an issue. Not because Capricorn could aid him but because he was sure he could light a fire without much trouble seeing how he could produce it.
"This place seems solid! Yeah, this ought to do nicely!"
"I agree! This island has everything we will need for the coming year! Water and food, and we can make a fire with no problem!" Izuku agreed with Natsu. "Wait…What about shelter?"
"Shelter? Why not sleep under the stars?" Natsu asked.
"What if it rains? It is very possible around here." Izuku stated, and then he recalled the silver key. "Maybe Ambrosius can help build a hut?"
"That is most definitely an option." Izuku was spooked as Capricorn appeared behind him.
"Capricorn!"
"My apologies for spooking you, Master Izuku, but I finished unloading the boat." The spirit stated. "Have you found a suitable place to settle?"
"Yes! Here!" Izuku showed him the area. "We can settle next to the river here, and there are trees with fruits everywhere, not to mention berries that might be edible and mushrooms, which I know are good to eat if we can cook them!"
"And you wish to summon Ambrosius to take care of your shelter issue?" Capricorn asked.
"Shouldn't I summon him?" Izuku asked, afraid he made a mistake.
"Actually, I find it to be the logical course of action in this situation! You are here to train your magic, Master Izuku, not challenge your survival skills! You shouldn't waste time laboring to construct a shelter if you have an easier solution for it." Capricorn told him.
"Right! In that case, I will summon Ambrosius in a bit and see what he has to say."
"Great! However, Master, I am afraid I am required elsewhere. I sense Mistress Lucy summoning me." Capricorn stated.
"Alright. We will meet later, Capricorn." Izuku said, and then the spirit went back to the spirit world.
"And here I am!" Capricorn said, appearing before Lucy, Gray, Ezra, and Happy. "Mistress, with what reason do you summon me now?"
"I wanted to ask about Izuku. How is he?" Lucy asked.
"You are asking about him?" The spirit asked.
"Natsu's soul is inhabiting his body, is it not?" Gray asked back. "We realized that we didn't ask a lot about him last time we talked, so we are doing so now. So?"
"Well, Master Gray, I am happy to report that he has arrived at his destination for training. An empty island to run amok in." Capricorn stated.
"I see. It certainly fits Natsu's style to go where there are not a lot of people to train." Ezra claimed. "But what can you tell us about Izuku, in particular?"
"Well, depends on what you desire to know," Capricorn stated. "I find Master Izuku as a very kind and polite young man with a clear desire to help others. However, I'd be lying if I said I do not see the pain behind his eyes."
"Pain?" Gray asked in confusion. "What pain? From the letter, we understand his world is full of people wielding a power called a Quirk, correct?"
"That is the problem, Master Gray," Capricorn replied. "Izuku was born without one. One of the few in his generation to be born Quirkless. I asked him about it before I delivered the letter to you…He has suffered a lot of torment at the hands of his peers, with discrimination against those like him being left to run rampant."
"Was he attacked?" Gray asked, taking a more serious expression.
"I am afraid so. Apparently, one of his tormentors possessed a dangerous Quirk which they used to torment Master Izuku almost daily." Capricorn stated.
"That is unacceptable! And no one did anything?" Ezra asked.
"I'm afraid so. His status as Quirkless almost made everyone treat him like a second-grade citizen." The spirit answered.
"Poor Izuku…" Lucy said softly.
"But he is alright now, right? Natsu is with him!" Happy said, trying to bring a hint of relief over them.
"I am happy to say he is. He had managed to escape his tormentors now, thanks to his efforts, but his journey was far from over. The magic he had acquired so far is not enough for him to do what he desires to do, but with training, he is bound to go far." The spirit replied. "Still, I worry about him. I can tell he is dedicated to this, but he doesn't seem to be opposing things to much."
"You said he was tormented due to how he was born, right? Odds are, years of that broke down his will." Gray stated. "He might have the will to keep going, but I don't think he has the will to fight anyone anymore. That, or he fears confrontation that much, he just rolls over for others to walk all over him."
"I didn't consider that angle…" Capricorn stated. "He had also met Aquarius. We have found her key in his world."
"Aquarius?! Are you sure?" Lucy asked at once.
"Very. In fact, she gave him quite the…boost to reach the island quicker." The spirit cleared his throat. "Still, with her, he wields two Zodiac Keys. It's not a bad number if I say so myself. Definitely a good starting point."
"A good point for a Celestial Mage, but if he is looking to be just that, then that is not good enough.," Ezra stated. "If he aims to be a Dragon Slayer, then he needs to work on his fighting spirit! That broken will of his needs to be rebuilt!"
"Does that imply Celestial Mages do not have fighting spirit…?" Lucy asked softly.
"Ezra is right! Unless he can put a fire in his belly, he won't get far. I can't believe I said that…" Gray said. "This makes us reaching him all the more important."
"Any progress?"
"It has only been roughly one day since we started. Mirajane had gone to request the aid of Blue Pegasus in the matter since their pretty boy gang has a guy with magic that could be useful to this." Gray replied to the spirit.
"Master Makarov is also extensively looking through books about spatial magic, trying to come up with something," Ezra replied. "Given his condition, this is one of the few things he can do, which frustrates him. Still, he places his full faith in us to pitch in!"
"We also contacted Saber Tooth! One of their members has spatial magic, which could help us greatly! Not to mention they have two Dragon Slayers who are very close to Natsu since they traveled with him from the past." Lucy stated.
"I have yet to speak with the king, but I promise to do so as soon as possible. Given how Natsu aided us greatly during the Eclipse Incident, he might be willing to lend his aid without asking for anything in return. Though, knowing the king, odds are he'd have helped a friend in need anyway." Capricorn replied. "What about the aftermath, however?"
"What are you saying?" Gray asked.
"Did you all consider what you will do once you meet with Natsu again? The only way to communicate with him is through Izuku, as only he can hear him." Capricorn stated.
"We will find a way to work around that minor inconvenience," Ezra replied. "Now, is there anything else you feel needs to be discussed?"
"No, nothing at the current moment…" Capricorn stated. "Oh! Do you wish for me to inform Izuku and Natsu about your efforts?"
"Don't." Gray was the one to reply. "Let's say we want to surprise him."
"Mistressess?" Capricorn asked them.
"Likewise. Better surprise him, then have him wait. Besides, there is no guarantee we will succeed in our work before it is too late." Ezra stated.
"We will!" Happy shouted, surprising her. "We have to."
"Right. Sorry, I…I am trying not to get my hopes up for this." Ezra admitted.
"We all miss him," Lucy stated, going close to Ezra to offer her support. "Capricorn, you can go now. We will continue our work on this side."
"Very well, Mistress." And so, the spirit returned home.
"Looking good, Ambrosius!" Izuku praised the work of the spirit as he looked at his hut. This time, he made sure to tell him not to go overboard, and he was done in less than one hour, managing to build him a decent-sized hut. "Thank you, Ambrosius, for your hard work."
"You are welcome, Master." And so, the spirit went away after his work was done.
Izuku went inside, lying on his bed, which was made of leaves. The hut was made of what nature could offer, as he didn't want to use the stuff from the boat. He better rest, however.
Tomorrow was his first day of training, after all!